Ishant Sharma -Sneakers to spikes to splaying stumps

First bit of advice from a coach
Always respect your opponents.

First boots
My first pair were Ace spikes, which my father bought for Rs 650. The first time I went to the club they said I couldn't bowl in the rubber sneakers I had as I would slip on the turf. The spikes lasted one year, but the initial feeling of getting into something new was very good.

First time I sent the stumps flying in Tests
It was a great feeling when I bowled Morne Morkel in the Kanpur Test. I really like the idea of getting a batsman bowled because it boosts your confidence, and you can get more aggressive.

First cricketing souvenir
The cricket ball with which I got my debut wicket, which was against Bangladesh. I got it signed by Anilbhai [Kumble]. He wrote, "Well done. Many more."

First car
A Honda Civic - my first major purchase after I began playing international cricket.

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Isa Guha - From Buckinghamshire to the big time

Guha bowls at the SCG early in 2008 © AFP

First job
I was a receptionist at a badminton centre when I was 16.

First cricket trophy
Playing for the boys at High Wycombe, I got the Most Improved Cricketer award. I was nine or ten then.

First time I heard I was picked for England
I was home. I actually had a case of shingles and was off from school when I got a call from one of the England selectors. I had no idea why she was calling me. She said, "We want you to play for England side." It was the week before the start of the tour. Two of the players had pulled out and they needed someone to fill in. It was probably one of the happiest moments of my life.

First autograph I took
Darren Gough's was the one I remember. I took part in a TV show and he was there. I was 12 at the time. He was one of my role models growing up.

First thing I do when I get on the field
I don't have any superstitions like that.

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Gautam Gambhir - Short balls and broken bats

Gambhir v Flintoff in Mohali: "the nastiest spell I've faced"

First time I broke a bat
The first time I broke a bat was in neighbourhood galli [street] cricket. It was a brand new bat. I hit the first ball and immediately the handle just came off.

First time I was worked over by a fast bowler
It's happened only once so far. It was by Andrew Flintoff in Mohali last year, on the second day of the Test. It was the quickest and nastiest spell of short-ball bowling I ever faced.

First time I played the bowler, not the ball
Against Glenn McGrath in my debut Test. Perhaps I was in awe of him. I was picked up easily in the slips. It occurred once again, against Shaun Pollock a couple of years later during an ODI, but now I focus on the ball.

First left-hand batsman I was impressed with
Sourav Ganguly. I just liked everything about him, especially his off-side play. I wanted to be just like him.

First autographed bat
My first and only autographed bat was of Sachin Tendulkar. I took one of his MRF bats in Chennai in 2005, before the Test against Sri Lanka. I wanted it as a souvenir. He was generous enough to give me a note as well: "Score lots of runs".

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